The present disclosure relates broadly to a textile sewing machine with an arcuate article-support bed. In one exemplary implementation, the textile machine may be used for manufacturing multilayered contoured ballistic panels or inserts which have inherent arcuate shape retention. For example, the present machine may be used to sew ballistic articles designed to at least partially surround the torso, chest, leg, arm, neck or shoulder of the wearer. The present machine may also be used to assemble any other sewn article intended to at least partially surround underlying or overlying curved structures or substrates.